Attachment for seat covers



May 8, 1923.

J. P. EYSTER ATTACHMENT FOR SEAT COVERS Filed Feb. 25, 1916 tiiymes arroezv s s.

JAMES P. E YSTER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIO'NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE WILLYS-OVERLAND COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ATTACHMENT FOR SEAT COVERS.

Application filed February 25, 1916. Serial No. 80,380.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES P. EYs'rER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis in the county of Mario-n and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Seat Covers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for detachably securing seat and couch covers to their frames; and the object of the invention is to provide detachable means whereby covers for seats and couches can be easily and quickly placed into position upon the frames or be removed from said frames in case of making repairs to the springs, frames, etc., without destroying the material from which such covers are made.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of means whereby seat and couch covers may be detachably secured to the frames, so that not only considerable labor is obviated in mounting and removing said covers but a great money saving is effected through the prevention of injury to the removed covers, thereby allowing them to be reused after repairs in and about the springs or frames are completed.

I accomplish the objects of the invention by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a finished seat giving the general exterior appearance of a cover held in position by means of my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail sectional view, on a considerably enlarged scale, through a portion of a seat cover and frame, showing my cover securing means in operative position. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail underside View of one corner of a seat-frame, showing my cover attaching means in operative position. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail perspective view, showing more clearly the arrangement and construction of the cover fastening device. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of a modified form of a detachable cover device. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the attaching plates.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is an upper and 11 a lower rectangular frame which are arranged in parallel manner and form the contour of the seateframe. Arranged in a vertical manner between the frames 10 and 11 is a plurality ofsprings 12, and these springs are held in determined positions by means of suitable ears 13 pressed out from the spring-supporting members 14. As shown in Fig. 3 the ends of the member 14 are firmly anchored to the frame 11 by bending the ends of the members around said frame as at 15 in Fig. 2.

Theseat cover proper comprises the usual cover 17, composed of leather or other suitable material, which is stitched to the bottom member 18 and apron by means of a welt, the latter terminating on the exterior surface in a roll 21, which imparts the usual and desirable finish to the cover. The cover 17 and member 18 are sufliciently separated to provide room for the hair 23 or similar material employed for stuffing. The apron 25 extends downward to or a little below the lower frame 11, thus closing the space between the upper and lower frame and enclosing the springs 12. The lower end of the apron 25 on prior constructions has usually been tacked fast to the underside of the wood frame or securely held between, edges of metal members bent in a U-shaped manner, so that in either case the apron has been permanently fixed to a degree that the material forming the covers was generally destroyed in removing them in makin repairs to the springs. As has heretofore een stated, the invention contemplates the employment of certain means whereby the lower edges of the aprons 25 may be detachably secured to lower frame 11, so that the covers may be easily placed into position or removed from the frames without distroying the covers. Securing the covers in a detachable manner to the seat-frame is accomplished by means of a series of plates which are arranged along the inner surface of the apron 25 near its free end, these plates being secured to the apron by means of suitable rivets 31. The lower ends of the plates are bent upward to form hooks 32 which are adapted to engage and hold the wire comprising the lower frame 11.- The tongue portions of the books 32 are bent in a reverse curve so that the ends of the hooks will be inclined away from the bodies of the plates 30, thus assisting in the operation of introducing the wire 11 into the loops form-- ed by said hooks. The tongue portions of the hooks 32 are also bent toward the bodies of the plates 30 and normally stand so that the distance between the adjacent faces of the hooks and plates shall be slightly less than the diameter of wire 11, which construction, While contemplating the application of a little force when inserting wire 11 into the loops formed by hooks 32, will prevent accidental displacement of wire 11 when springs 12 are depressed under a load, causing a temporary buckling of the apron 25. When the load is removed from the top of the seat the springs 12 immediately rebound and exert sufiicient pressure against the frames 10 and 11 to cause the apron to be drawn taut, thereby removing all wrinkles and imparting a smooth exterior appearance to the sides of the seat, as shown in Fig. 1.

The lower edge of the apron 25 is provided with a hem into the folds of which I insert a thin fiat metal strip 34 to keep the edge smooth and free of wrinkles. The strip 34 being thin it will not change the smooth exterior surface of the apron in case that style of finish is desired. However, if it is desired to produce a roll or head efiect along the lower edge of the apron the same can be accomplished by substituting a round wire instead of the flat strip 34.

.Figure 5 illustrates a modified construction of the fastening device. In this instance, instead of forming each hook 32 independently from a separate plate 30, all of the hooks can be formed at uniform intervals along a single metal strip 35, the entire strip 35 being secured to the inner surface of the apron 25 by means of suitable rivets passing throu h the spaced perforations 36.

In Fig. 6 I ave shown a further modified form from that shown in Fig. 5. In this instance, the rivets 31 for securing the plates 30 to the apron 25 are dispensed with, the plates 30 being secured in place by means of the integral hollow necks 30 which are punched from the bodies of the plates. The

necks 30 are projected through apertures 1n apron 25 and the edges of the free ends of the necks are turned over and clinched against the inner surface of apron 25. While the use of this fastener will leave a series of holes exposed in the exterior surface of apron 25 it will not be found objectionable in the cheaper grades of work.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness as regards details of construction and arrangement and as being embodied in certain precise forms, I do not desire to be limited thereto unduly or any more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary, I contemplate all proper changes in form, construction and arrangement, the omission of immaterial ele ments, and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

I claim:

1. In combination, a seat-frame, a cover for encasing said frame, hooks secured to the inner surface near the lower edge of said cover for detachably securing the latter to the lower edge of the seat frame and integral necks on said hooks adapted to project through the cover for securing said hooks to said cover.

2. In combination, a seat frame, a cover for encasing said frame and a sheet metal attaching member near the bottom of said cover having an integral neck struck up from its upper portion and extending through said cover, said attaching member having its lower portion formed into an upwardly opening hook adapted to detachably engage said seat frame.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 14th day of February, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and sixteen.

JAMES P. EY'STER. [1 3. 

